


His past, Their future

by thelastknow



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-08-24 11:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8369731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelastknow/pseuds/thelastknow
Summary: Judy and nick have been partners at the zpd for two whole years. Something from Nicks past is comng back to haunt him. Another big case is in thier laps and so is something else. Will Judy be able to help Nick, or will she lose him forever? ( this is a multi chapter fan work. so it will be updated as soon as a new chapter is ready.)





	1. Chapter 1

Nick Wilde, the new guy on the block of the ZPD, had a few rules in place that he used to use when he hustle back in the day before becoming an officer. His top three rules were simple; one don’t talk about money from his hustles, two don’t deal in illegal drugs and weapons or in that matter anything illegal, and three and perhaps his biggest was, don’t let them see that they get to you. The third rule on his list was more of a lifestyle than a rule that he used since the age of twelve when he began to hustle other animals. Since then none of these rules had changed, money was sacred, rules were made for a reason and his personal life was just that; personal.  
That changed exactly two years ago, when he met a certain rabbit, of all things, that changed his life for the better. That someone is now his work partner and to him is more than that. She has been his partner at the ZPD for the past two years. She is what made him want to be a better fox, a symbol, to defy societies look on foxes as sly, sneaky, and untrustworthy, things Judy knew all too well were not foxy traits. Judy Hopps, a bunny from the borrows and ZPD’s first and still only rabbit officer, and he, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, was ZPD’s first fox officer, the dynamic duo who since integrated into the ZPD had caught up on cracking just as many cases as Bogo’s finest team. He never would have imagined to be working as an honest cop two and half years ago before he met Judy yet here he was now a cop, partnered with the dumb bunny that changed his life.  
It was early October, Judy and Wilde were filling out reports of the day’s patrol, a most long and tedious task that Nicholas hated to do because it was paper work and it was nothing more than that, dull and repetitive. While Judy worked nick conjured a way to make the afternoon a little more interesting he looked over and stared at her with his emerald eyes. She was busy doing her reports at their desk that was for the size of the lion and too entranced to notice Nicks gaze. Everything they had was for the size of animals much more considerable in stature than Hopps; even the chairs seemed to be a substantial size in comparison to her. He was fine with it because he would be lost more and more at Judy and how she was able to overcome everything that she had to face.  
“Nick, Nick, What are you staring at?”  
He suddenly refocused his attention with a shaking of his head and looked at Judy with her deep purple eyes, which he wouldn’t admit it but he loved those eyes of her, which was an understatement, as he adored everything about her. He focused and placed on his famous smirk look as he replied “I’m just looking around and thinking about fox stuff.”  
“No you’re not, you just don’t want to do your reports, as per usual.” She sighed giving him a darting look.  
“Carrots, I’m hurt that you would even say that. I already have the report finished and ready for buffalo butt ready.” As he placed his hand over his heart, giving off a look of fake hurt, that looked so real that he could have fool almost anyone… almost anyone. Judy just rolled her eyes at him and went back to finish up her report so that they could go give it to Bogo and clock out for the day. It was already 6:30pm and she was ready to get out by 7pm that day, if it weren’t for a certain fox that kept flicking his tail against hers and sending shivers through her entire body.” NICK, STOP THAT!” She exclaimed as she turned to her partner that was still on his phone.  
“I have no idea what you are talking about fluff, I’m just sitting here just looking on my phone.” He replied with not even a smirk on his face. She knew what he was doing and he was doing it on purpose to make her flustered. He did it every day and she was able to hold off, but today he went over the line and she was going to get back at him. She knew the one way she could get back at him was to do something sneaky or make a bet that he thought he could win. ‘That’s what I will do’ she thought to herself sneakily, a grin crossing her face “I’ll make a bet he can’t win”.  
“Nick,” she started as the grin became prominent across her face, “I bet that tomorrow, that you can’t go a day without saying a sarcastic or smart alec comment.”  
He looked at her wanting to accept the bet, but first he wanted to know what the catch was, and what the deal entailed to the loser. He knew that she usually didn’t make a bet unless he went over the line, so he knew he must have pushed the right buttons and gone over that line just now and she is going want to get even against him. “Alright fluff, I’ll take your bet, but I know that I will win the bet.” He replied with a sly grin on his face. “So what is the wager at stake here?”  
“Okay if I win I get to ask any questions about your past and you have to answer them truthfully without avoiding the topic.” She gave him a smirk, the smirk of a hustler, a smirk that she had picked up while with nick over the past two years. His face changed real quickly from his sly grin, to a more then slightly anxious look, that made him very uncomfortable, but he didn’t show it to her. Nick was able to avoid talking about his past for a long time with Judy. When she brought up the question the first time he was able to change the subject on here. The next time they had to attend to a call over the radio for a disturbance, which was down the street from them. He considered himself luck with these distractions. He knew eventually that he had to talk about it and now that she had him in a bet, she had lured him in hook line and sinker and he knew that there was no way out of it now unless he could find a loop hole out of this bet. “Alright carrots the next weekend you will hang out with me the entire the weekend.” He replied with his face going back to his famous sly grin he had held a minute ago.  
“We always hang out on our weekends off what will be so different about the next one, if and that’s a big if you do win.” She said as she had a puzzled look on her face, with one of her eyebrows raised. Her ears were slowly turning red as if she was embarrassed or she was excited about hearing his part of the wager. Nick noticed and replied all the while starring deep into her purple eyes that had a gleam to them in the light of the room “well” he began elegantly “you’ll just have to find wait out when you lose.”  
Her curiosity was peaked a little when she heard his response back without knowing what it really meant, all she knew is that she had to win the bet and she was determined to succeed. “Nick there is two rules that I have to tell you before tomorrow.” She said before he turned back to his phone. “The first rule is that you can’t say anything sarcastic to anyone no matter what they do and/or say. Second I will ask everyone in the station if you have been sarcastic and also I will be listening in public too.” She explained, pointing to her ears after she said the second part to the rules, all while shining a sly confident smile in nicks direction.  
Nick looked at her and knew that there was no way out, there were no loop hole’s now that could help him. He sighed slightly “alright fluff if that are the only two rules you have then that’s fine, bet on.” He gave a less enthused look on his face while still holding a poker face he was able to do.  
“Good, now let’s get our reports to Bogo before we clock out for the day.” She jumped down from her chair walking past him and to the door with her report of the day in her hand. He followed behind her, grudgingly, regretting his agreement to her gamble.  
They went and gave Bogo their reports of the day. It was 7pm when they left the ZPD, Nick walked Judy home as he has always done for the past two years, this was his favorite part with her, no work, no company, just her and him walking as the sun was setting down behind them. He couldn’t help but to want to let her know that he had fallen in love with her since the day she had given the ZPD application so long ago.


	2. the dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it happens evey time around this year for him and its a sign to go see her and say hello to her.

“Nicholas run, just run, NICHOLAS!! I’ll take of it; I’m here to protect you because that’s my job as your mother.” He looked back to see his mother getting tackled to the ground by the white Arctic fox that was waiting for them at their house, starting to beat her. Nick had just turned 12 years old that week, his present; was seeing his mother getting beaten by the assailant. He ran into a wall as he tried to escape, the artic fox looked up to see him trying to get away. He cackled and just took five long strides away from Nick’s mother and grabbed Nick by the collar, lifting him up. Nicks mother came to the rescue running up and shoving the Artic fox into the wall, pinning him. The fox dropped Nick as he refocused his attention to Nick’s mother. He was stronger than Nick’s mother and over powered her turning the table to where Nick’s mom was pinned against the wall. The artic fox grabbed his mother by the shoulder and dug his claws into her. She screamed in the pain from the nails puncturing the skin and caused her to start bleeding. Nick looked in horror and saw the look of the fox’s eyes, they held a not a single ounce of guilt or remorse, but instead it seemed to relish in pleasure at the pain caused to Nick’s mother. Nicks gaze went to his mother’s eyes and saw straight to her soul: as her eyes spoke “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you son, I’m sorry’ they apologized.  
The artic fox spoke with a wide smile on his face while holding her in his hands “I guess I’m going have to leave a mark on him so that he won’t forget what is about to happen here.” He chuckled deviously. The laugh was something out of a horror movie, and it was pure evil, that seemed to shake Nicholas to his very core.  
“DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH MY BABY, DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH A HAIR ON IS PELT!!!!” She cried with as much fury as her hurt and broken body could muster, her body fueled with adrenaline.  
“Or what you’re going to kill me? You can barely get up on your own two paws”, retorted the Artic fox with an evil, sly grin upon his face. A look of horror and regret crossed her face as she knew her time was coming to an end on this world. She looked towards her son and saw that he was petrified and couldn’t move a single muscle, his paws tucked into his chest submissively. “Mum?” he whimpered.  
“Hey boy” interrupted the fox.  
Nick looked over to him, his chest rising and falling with great speed, a deep and sick feeling in his stomach.  
“Look at your mother, look at her one last time before I kill her, Right in front of you.” He said without any remorse in his voice.  
“I love you nick, and, please don’t forget that I-I will always love you, I-I just want you to know that. Remember don’t let them see that they don’t get to you… ever.” She whimpered, as tears trickled down her checks, she knew this would be the last time she was able to tell her son, tat very important sentence “I Love you.” She would never get to see him grow up, see him have a girlfriend, see him get married, and never see her grand kits. He could only reply with tears coming out, “I love you mom.” It was the last thing she heard from her only son, the one that she loved so much, she knew one day that she would see him again and would wait till that day came. She was in full content to accept her fate and let it happen.  
Nick watched as the fox’s claws tore across the front of her throat and he watched her slowly die in front of him as the fox slit her throat open, a maniacal laugh, jittering from his jaws. The blood squirted out like a pipe that just busted, it sprayed on Nick, who sat shaking in fear and sobbing, and the artic fox was lack in a better word… content. The artic fox just licked it off is muzzle and then walked to Nick in five steps. “It’s now time to leave my mark on you boy.” He said this with an evil smirk on his face as he grabbed nick by his small shoulder. He ripped off the shirt nick had on and took a single claw carving his initials and a sign into the side of nick’s chest, right on the ribcage. Nick screamed as loud as he could. Once it was done and Nick held dangling from the fox’s claws, Nick looked up at him through, exhausted, tears soaked eyes “who are you?” he asked with a quake in his voice.  
The Artic fox pulled Nick in close, Nick struggling to get away but to no avail, he growled deep into his ear, the name that would never be forgotten “Jimmy the Reaper.” He replied before he threw nick against the wall with his great might, Nicks head hit the wall knocking him out cold.

GASP. GASP. GASP  
Nick woke up in the coldest and heaviest sweat he had ever had in his life all while breathing heavily. “It’s just a bad dream; it’s just a bad dream.” He told himself aloud as he looked around to make sure he was still in his apartment. His hand moved to his left side of his ribcage and he felt the mark that was left on him 22 years ago. He looked at the alarm clock that was next to his bed and it read 2:30am. He groaned and laid back on his less than comfortable pillow, his hands went to cover his eyes as he tried to go back to sleep, it was in vain though and he knew it, he was awake for the rest of the day now.  
Nick got up from his bed and walked into the hallway that connected to the rest of his apartment, it was a good size apartment for him. It had a kitchen, bath, two bedrooms, and a living room. It was on the south side of Sahara square and was about a 20 minute walk from Judy’s apartment, which unknowing to anyone else, was the selling point. The rent was surprisingly cheap for an old building that it was. It had heating and cooling, even if the heater didn’t work half of the time. The paint was old and looked as if it was about to start peeling off the walls. Nick walked into the bathroom and was glad that the apartment managers, who were predators, gave him a somewhat modern bathroom. Nick went to the sink to splash water on his face. He knew that it was about time to go visit her again and because that dream would appear and continue to appear until he did so.  
Judy’s got up right at 6am to start her day as usual, hitting the snooze button on her buzzing alarm clock and jumping to the mirror to shine her badge. She knew she had to win today’s bet with Nick so she could find out more about his past and she was going to do an and all to make him be at least have some type of sarcasm today. She did her routine thing to get ready to get to work. She texted Nick, “how far are you far my apartment are you slick?”  
“Two minutes out, why do you miss me that bad?  
Her checks turned slightly red at the last part she read. Nick and her were always together; whether it be at work, which was a given, on their days off, or at night watching a movie at her place. They were together all the time. Her heart started to beat faster as she was thinking about it. She couldn’t understand why nick was able to make her want him more. Was it how he was able to say the right things at the right time to make her comfortable in his presence when she didn’t really want it? Was it how he was able to use his slick silver tongue to melt her heart? ‘What are you doing brain? Why are you thinking of those things right now?’ she thought to herself as she was leaving her apartment to meet him down at the entrance of her apartment building.  
Yes, she wanted to know more about his past, but she didn’t want to force the subject, obviously it was personal. But every time she brought it up something intervened or he diverted the question to something else. ‘This is the only way that she could learn more about him,’ she gave herself a determined and reasonable thought, right before stepping out into the fresh October air that morning.  
Nick was there waiting for her with a bag from their favorite bakery. He got her favorite, a carrot hazelnut muffin with a carrot coffee with lots of cream and sugar. He had himself a blueberry scone and black coffee. She walked out and saw him waiting for her. She walked over to where he was standing.  
“Hey fluff ready to go to work?”  
“Of course I am you dumb fox.” She said with a giggle as she got the food from nicks now empty hands. She reached in and got her muffin and she had her drink in her other as they started to walk towards the ZPD. She smiled and said “thank you Nick, you got me my favorite two things for the morning.”  
“Your welcome carrots.” He said as a yawn escaped his jaws. H wasn’t a morning person that was one thing for sure. So as they walked he was slightly behind her. He stayed like that for almost the 15minutes that it took to get there.  
She turned to face him as they were a block away from the ZPD. “Remember nick about our bet that we made yesterday.”  
“I got it fluff.” He replied as another yawn escaped from his mouth. She then said with her big smile that he has seen every day “ready to make the world a better place?”  
“I’m always ready to make the world a better place with you and only you, Officer Hopps.” He said with the most sincere look on his face that he ever gave. Judy started to blush and had to turn around quickly so that nick didn’t notice it, but he did notice it and didn’t say a word. ‘Why ruin something that made him happy?’ he thought to himself as they both entered the ZPD for the morning.


	3. the cass

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for how long it took to get the chapter 2 and 3 out been busy and have had a lot to due. editor lonewolfwriter ha help me so much on this and i cant thank him enough. i also have this on tumblr under the same name.

Clawhauser was sitting at his usual designated seat at the forefront of the ZPD, he was indulgently digging into his one of his six boxes of donuts that he normal had with him when he started his day 30 minutes before the day crew came in for their shift. He saw Judy and Nick coming in and waved them over to the receptionist desk. They leisurely made their way over to his desk just as he finished scarfing down, in one bite, his first donut of the day. “How are you both doing today?” he said with big smile on his face.  
“Good clawhauser. How are you?” Judy responded.  
“Very fine, this morning spots” chimed in Nick after his partner, using Clawhauser’s nickname to address him.  
“That’s good to hear. I’m doing fantastic.” He said with the wildest smile smack bang on his face and a little shriek. “Guess what I was able to get?” he asked to giddy to hide his own excitement.  
“What did you get clawhauser?” Judy said with a questioning look. Nick secretly rolled his eyes knowing the answer before, the words left Clawhauser’s mouth and so in time with Spots, Nick mouth.   
“I was able to get tickets to the next gazelle concert in a few weeks!!” he said with an overzealous squeal.  
Nick leaned against the desk with his elbow raising his glasses from his eyes with his other paw, “good for you spots. So what else is new?” Nick responded pointing his glasses at clawhauser, trying his best not to sound sarcastic about it, or give Judy any indication he may be waving on his side of the bet. Everyone knew that Ben Clawhauser was a huge Gazelle fan, so for him being excited about it was nothing new.   
Judy scrutinized Nick, with a raised eyebrow, prying to make sure what he just said wasn’t foreshadowed with a sarcastic remark, deciding that it wasn’t, she nudged him in the left side of his ribcage with her elbow. He took his paw and placed it over right where she elbowed him and made a slight ‘oooppphhh’ sound that she noticed just a little bit but then turned back to Clawhauser to continue to talking with him. They talked for 15 minutes before Nick interrupted by taking Judy’s paw in his and he said “Well Spots we have to het to roll call be for we get in trouble with the chief, you know how Buffalo butt is” Ben saw Nick taking Judith’s paw in his and all he could muster was a long, elongated “AAAAWWWW” before calming himself. “That’s so precious; you two would make a great couple one day” he explained pointing from Nick to Judy.  
Judy didn’t realize that Nick took her paw and when she did she became completely lost for words by what Nick did, looking to her paw then to Nick and back again. Her ears folded down her back immediately as they were starting to turn pink. She pried her paws from Nicks, quickly burying her face into her palms, to keep anyone seeing her skin underneath her grey fur turning red. Nick face held a look of slight discomfort; scared he had gone too far by gradding Carrots paw, his usual composed and calm façade all but disappearing for a moment.  
Nick was lucky that he had red fur, if not so everyone would notice he was going as red as Judy at Clawhauser’s words. He did have to agree that they would make a great, scratch that; they would make a cute couple.   
Minute past in complete silence, mainly because Nick and Judy were doing their best trying to composing themselves. Judy found it increasingly difficult; Nick however had regained his composer back in a matter of seconds. Nick was about to say something but Judy was able say something quickly back to Ben. “Ben we are just work partners, and yah we do hangout a lot, but being a couple, I don’t see that.”  
Nick had a look of hurt that he kept from her seeing. He turned and made a beeline for the bull pen. Judy noticed this and turned back to Ben  
“I’ll see you later Clawhauser” she sighed, still a little taken aback.  
Judy ran to catch up to Nick following him to the bull pen. Clawhauser just looked at them as they walked away and down the hall before turning back to the donut that he had in his hand that he was about to devour. ‘They really would make a great couple’ he chuckled to himself as he started gorging the donut down his gullet.  
They made their way to the bull pen and walked in. The normal was going on, a few were having arm wrestles, and others were talk about their family, while others were discussing what they were going to do for the weekend. They got up to their seat that was next to McHorn, who was on the force for about five years now. They got up to their seat and Judy turned to Nick.   
“So Nick what you think we will be doing today? Patrol, civil guard…” she paused before continuing to the last one she thought of, “parking duty.”  
“I don’t know carrots; I just hope it isn’t parking duty.” He admitted with a slight sigh in his voice while still having his poker face on. He wasn’t having the best morning, first with the dream that came back, and then what Judy said to Clawhauser, that hurt him a little inside. He was thinking about it all and trying to figure it all out. All he knew was that he was going to talk to the chief about using some of his sick days that he hadn’t used yet, he needed time to clear his head, something that hadn’t been so foggy since the days he started hustling.  
Judy saw that Nick was in deep thought about something that was troubling him. She has seen this look a few times over the past two years that they were partners on the force. She was about to ask him what was bothering him when Bogo came in. It took only a couple of minutes for everyone to calm down before he gave them their assignments.  
He gave everyone their assignments except for Nick and Judy. He looked at them and took his glasses off before saying “parking duty.”  
Both of their faces changed quickly to express the ‘you have to be kidding me face’. Bogo gave a smirk and chuckled “just kidding,” before continuing. He was amused by their expression after he pulled that fast one on them… again. He continued while looking down at his podium “I have three missing mammal’s that have disappeared in the past week. I need this solved quietly and fast. One of them is a predator and the other two are prey.” He sighed before continuing, “They all have disappeared in different parts of the city; one at the harbor, one in the outback, and the last one in tundratown. I would give this to Delgato and Fangmeyer but they are working on another case at the moment. I will have them assist you when they are done with their case. This needs to be kept from the public as much as possible as two of them are high profile mammals” he informed them, passing them their case files.  
“You two are my best officers that the ZPD has seen in a long time and if you solve this quickly and keep it on the down low, I will place both of you in for your detective badges.”  
He saw Judy’s eyes widen when she heard him saw detective badge. He looked at Nick and nodded to him knowing he heard him right. He left shutting the door behind him heading to his office to continue work, well not entirely work, maybe some Gazelle.   
“Well let’s get going Nick we got a case to solve.” She yipped giddily looking at him with a business ready smirk. He got slowly down off the chair and followed her out the bull pen door. He followed her all the way to their cruiser. But as he reached for the door handle and was about to get to get in he looked at her, his paw frozen on the door handle.   
“Hey carrots I will be right back I need to go get something that I forgot okay?”  
She gave him a confused look, she was about to ask what he forgot, but before she could speak he was walking away with is hands in his pockets.  
Nick arrived at Bogo’s door and gently tapped it.  
“Come in” Bogo bellowed.  
Nick pushed the door open, walked to the center of his office and stood at ease with his paws held together behind his lower back, his chin up, waiting to be addressed.  
“Wilde why are you here? Shouldn’t you be with officer Hopps heading to the places where the mammals disappeared?”  
“Chief,” Nick started trying to find the words before he continued, his professional at ease stance slowly faltering the more his thoughts played around in his mind.  
“I’m going have to use a few of my sick days, in the coming week.” Nick explained after giving a sigh of defeat. Bogo looked confused as to why he would say that. He was about to say something but thought better than it, noticing that Nick already looked unease or uncomfortable.  
“Whatever it is Wilde I don’t want to know and I’ll grant you that because you and Hopps have been working hard the past 6 months on all the cases I have given you. Now get out of my office before I change my mind.” Bogo gave in his deep booming voice, playing the role of the hard chief. Nick nodded and left without another word. Bogo couldn’t help but wonder why Nick would want to take some days off now at the pinnacle of a career changing moment. He shrugged and went back to his paper work.  
Nick was back at the cruiser where Judy had waited for him.   
“You ready to get going fluff?” He cheered as he gave a small corner mouth smile that was saturated with fake sincerity.  
“Yes I am ready to go. What did you have to go do Nick?” she gave a questioning look at him.   
He hated lying to her but he had to, “I … forgot something in my locker and had to go get it.” She believed it and left it at that.   
They left for the harbor of Zootopia. To be more precise, the warehouse district of the harbor for their first missing mammal.


	4. the warehouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> after recieving the three missing mammals Nick and Judy head to warehouse 13 in the docks to find any clues of there missing mammal. They meet a mysterious figure who could it be?

There was a cool breeze coming off from the ocean as he stood there looking at the clouds going by. Jack Savage, a PI for 15 years, enjoying having the breeze blowing through his grey fur. His face had three black stripes on both sides of his muzzle and the tip of his ears black. He looked back to his car, a 1969 thundercouger. It was painted grey with a black stripe down the middle of the car. His ears halfway up listening as the waves crashed into the Cliffside down below. He started to move to the car and when he reached it he hopped right in and started it up. The engine roared to life as he pulled out and headed to the warehouse district in the harbor area. It was about a 20 minute drive from the cliffs he was just at.  
He arrived at the warehouses and killed his engine. He took out a small note pad and looked at the notes that were written down on the last page he had written in. He stepped out of the car and made his way through the warehouses until he found the one he was looking for. Just to make sure it was the right one he looked down at his notes and looked back up and nodded to himself. He had found warehouse #13 where the buck disappeared from a few days ago. He walked up to the door but was stopped by a big bull guarding the door.   
“You are not allowed in there and who are you?” The bull demanded with a loud snort.  
“I’m here on looking for my clients’ husband, a Mr. John Antlerson.” The hare replied back pulling out a silver badge and pointing at the warehouse behind the bull. The bull was hesitant before he let him into the warehouse. Once He got in he started to look for clues to where the missing buck could have gone.  
Nick was looking out the window as they were driving across the bridge to get to the warehouses in the harbor. Judy was talking about what the case and what she thought that they could find there. But nick wasn’t listening he was just starring into the water and thinking about everything that happened this morning. The nightmare returning this time of year, what Judy said to Clawhauser about being a couple, it was taking a toll on his internal thoughts. He was depressed but didn’t show it because Judy would notice it.  
Judy noticed how quiet Nick was, she thought it was strange. ‘He was never this quiet ever’ she thought to herself. She knew asking him wouldn’t do anything. He would just tell her he was fine, even though he wasn’t. She knew Nick liked to keep a lot of things about his past life private. But she knew there was at some points of their friendship he shared a little bit about his past. It was in these rare moments that Nick let down his walls and let her in, to see his true self. Without even realizing what she was doing she placed her paw on top of his.  
At some point Nick didn’t notice it but Judy place her paw on top of his. He felt a small paw on his which snapped him back into reality. Nick looked down and saw her paw on his and placed his on hers. He looked up following the arm from which it came from. He continued to follow it until he came up to Judy’s face. Their eyes met and everything around him seemed to melt away. When he saw her eyes that what always made him feel better, about him and what he was doing now. Those violet eyes somehow always pierced into his soul. When he saw her smile he felt warm inside and a smile came across his face as well. He knew she cared for him and he loved her for that. He knew she was the only one that could read him like a book. They kept this look at each other for the rest of the drive off the bridge which didn’t take very long.  
She knew something had to happen to him this morning because when their eyes met she saw hurt in his ivory green eyes. For some reason or another when their eyes met this time was different from all the other times her hearted skipped a beat. She couldn’t understand it, why did he make her feel this way. She kept looking back to the road to make sure they stayed in there lane every few seconds. Her heart continued to flutter in her chest as she felt his paw on hers. Nick was the only one that was able to do this to her. She had no idea how but when she was with him she felt better they could be something more than just friends. She came back to reality when she realized that they were off the bridge. Both Nick and Judy let go of each other’s paws.   
“So” Nick trying to find the words “carrots you know we are going to the warehouse, right?”   
“Yes I do dumb fox; I’m not a directionally challenged mammal. We do have GPS in the cruiser.” She replied sarcastically back at him, both of them laughing a little bit.   
They arrived at the warehouses got out and started to the warehouse 13. She looking at the notes that they had on the case, too see if they need to look at anything suspicious in the warehouse. ”Carrots, we both know that it’s a missing mammal’s case we had plenty so far. Plus if you’re going to stare at your notepad any longer, I think it’ll catch fire.”   
“har har, very funny fox but I don’t want to miss anything important.”  
“If we did we’ll find it at the warehouse. They said no one has been able to go inside for the past five days fluff. So anything we find will still be there.”  
“Alright Nick I just want to finish this quickly so then we can be detectives.” She finished up during the short walk to the warehouse where the bull was standing outside guarding the door.  
“Well aint this warehouse popular today” the bull responded sarcastically. They both looked at him with curiosity as they pulled out their badges and showed him. He looked at the badges and then at them and back to the badges again to confirm who they were.  
“What do you mean?” Judy replied raising an eyebrow at him.  
“There was another mammal here that is looking for something, said he was a private investigator or something. I let him in about 20 minutes ago.” He replied as he nodded to himself remembering correctly. They both looked at each other knowing what this could mean for finding any evidence.  
“Let us in there NOW!!” she hissed at the bull. The bull was surprised and did as he was told and let them both in. Judy shot like a rocket into the warehouse with Nick coming in behind her just several paces behind her. The bull just stood there until they were out of sight and closed the door.  
The inside was just like any other warehouse by the harbor, big, lots of container from different parts of the world, quiet, and not well lite. They ran for a few minutes until they came to an intersection. Judy stopped as did Nick in the center of it. They both knew there were office in this warehouse in the back but didn’t ask what direction they were in before they left the bull.  
“Let me take the lead carrots.” Nick replied as he was the only one in their partnership that could see in darker environments and had a better sense of smell. She let him lead on.  
It took a few minutes until they were near where the buck had disappeared from. There was also the P.I that the bull was taking about to open the door to the office. They both turned the corner and yelled “ZPD hands in the air where we can see them.” Both Nick and Judy pulled their tranq guns out and Judy also had a flashlight out.  
The Jack Savage was surprised and blinded by the flashlight light as he pulled his badge and gun from inside is jacket. Both nick and Judy had there tranq guns ready to fire when they saw the firearm. “PUT THE GUN DOWN AND KICK IT AWAY!!!”  
Jack did as he was told and dropped and kicked the gun away. Nick went closer to him so that we can check id check from Jack.  
“My name is Jack Savage private investigator; I’m here on behalf of my client, Mrs. Antlerson to look for her husband. I have every right to be here as you do officers.” He replied as Wilde took his PI badge to and called it into dispatch to check to make sure it was authentic. He was given the reply yes it was. He lowered his tranq gun down as so did his partner.  
“Good to see ZPD’s finest are keeping their skills sharp.” He amusingly replied.   
“Mr. Savage why are you here?” Judy questioning him  
“First off please call me Jack. Secondly, like I said before I’m here on behalf of my clients request to find her husband Mr. Antlerson. I was about to enter the office as you see when you showed up and stopped me.” Jack replied pointing to the office while only looking at Judy and paying no attention to Nick who was standing there. Jack walked over to where his gun was and picked it back up and placed it back to his jackets holster. He then walked back over to the office door and finished unlocking the door. Judy and Nick just stood there watching as Jack did this and disappeared into the office. They followed him in.  
Once they were in they started to search once they had their gloves on not to leave any fingerprints or anything while searching. Judy and Nick looked throw the draws of the filing cabinets to find any documents that could help them, while Jack went to the desk and started to search. They all searched for the next 30 minutes yet they came up with nothing. Jack knowing there had to be some type of clue left behind to lead where he went.  
“Whelp there nothing here Nick and I don’t know what to look for either that can help us” Judy giving a big huff of air.  
“There’s got to be something here fluff, just give me a moment.” Nick looked around and started to sniff so that he could catch anything he thought was suspicious and shouldn’t belong in the room. Nick started to move around the room to find anything that would smell suspicious to that Judy wouldn’t due to his ability to smell which he has said on multiple occasions is almost as good as a wolf’s nose. Jack watched the fox in disgust and walked out of the room to get away from him. Judy continued to watch Nick search his way by smell in the office but noticed Jack was leaving out the door to the left.  
Judy followed Jack out of the office until he stopped and turned around looking at her with his light blue eyes into her amethyst orbs. “Officer Hopps why are you following me?” he questioned back.  
“To make sure you don’t try anything to impede our investigation Jack.”   
“I would never do such a thing officer Hopps. I’ve been a P.I. for 15 yrs. and I know the law when the police get involved into the same case as mine.” He remarked back. She took a step back from Jack and was wondering what was taking Nick so long. Jack took a few steps forward and was suddenly in Judy’s personal space. Jack continued “I understand what the police need to do, but I was hired by my client to find her husband so, if you will please hurry up I will be able to do my job.”  
Judy was getting angry and started to thump her left foot on the ground and look around and now was wondering why Nick was taking his sweet time. She didn’t notice the sudden movement of Jack’s paw taking hers and bring it up to his lips to kiss it. At the same time this was happening Nick was walking out of the office about to call Judy when he noticed that Jack kissed her paw. Judy was shocked and surprised by the sudden act that Jack did. Her ears felt like they were on fire and she had a tingling sensation through her body. She pulled her paw away not noticing that Nick was behind her in the door way of the office, but Jack noticed and had a smirk crept across his face at the fox’s expression. Nick cleared his throat with a fake cough. “Hey carrots can you come here?”  
She turned around with a very light blush on her checks and her ears somewhat down to hide them from him. “Coming Nick” was all she said starting to walk towards him.  
Once they both got back into the office nick turned around and starred at her. Both of them said nothing for a minute before she broke the stifling silence, “so did you find anything Nick?”  
“Yes I found something,” he started to say but stopped.  
“What did you find Nick?” Judy curiously replied.  
He continued “whoever it was that took our buck, made sure not to leave any evidence but,” as he pointed up into the small ceiling in the office, “he was waiting for him and was able to knock him out without a struggle.”  
“How?”  
“It smells like chloroform and a good amount of it when it was ready but now it was almost unnoticeable. Luckily I was able to pick it up with my nose.”   
Judy was amazed on how Nick was able to find a break, even if it was a small one by just sniffing.   
Just as Nick finished Jack walked in and stood there with that smirk on his face. Nick didn’t like him at all and wanted him to leave. “So” as Jack started off “did you find anything there, fox?”  
“Nothing for you to know about” nick gave a low growl that could barely be heard as he pushed his way out of the office and into the rest of the warehouse. Judy started to follow until Jack caught her by the arm and pulled her in to him. He then gave a quick peck to her check. “Let me know what you find so that I can continue my search for Mr. Antlerson, Miss Hopps. Here is my contact information if you find anything unless you want to meet up let’s say for lunch to discuss your findings soon.”  
He slipped his card into her paw as he left the office and went to the door that he entered almost an hour ago. Nick was waiting for her just outside when he came out with even a bigger smirk on his face. “You have a nice day pelt.” Jack gave in an insulting tone as he left.   
Judy came out of the office stunned at what just happened, with Jack’s quick kisses and Nick behavior she didn’t know what to think. She looked at Nick and he turned away from her heading towards the door they came in from. She followed him all the way to the squad car in silence not knowing what to say. They got in and before she even started the cruiser Nick broke the silence. “You shouldn’t contact him carrots. He is just a P.I. and can ruin the case if he lets any information out on this case.”  
“I know what could happen Nick,” she started. After a quick breath she continued “and I doubt that he will. He knows that will just get public eyes on him and he wouldn’t want that on him.”  
Nick looked the other way in an annoyed attitude and gave a quick yet stupid question.  
“Did you enjoy them?” Nick shot the question out there and let it sit for a while.  
“Enjoy what Nick?” looking at him puzzled.  
“The scenery carrots, what do you think I’m talking about here Judy, the kisses he gave you.” Nick exclaimed as it left his muzzle. She was shocked that he would notice what Jack did while they were in the warehouse office. She was speechless and couldn’t say anything. There was an eerie silence between the two of them for a few minutes that seemed like an eternity to Judy before Nick spoke back up angrily “You know what the bet we have is to easy, lets make a new one! I bet that you would enjoy kisses more from a certain fox that is your partner than from him.”  
It was so blunt and right out there and Nick knew there was no way on taking it back now. He said it right in front of her in anger. Judy looked at him surprised with a mix of anger fuming. “How do you know that I liked them? I was surprised that he gave me a kiss like that, I was shocked.”  
“Did you like them, answer the question Judy?”  
“What does it matter to you Nick?”  
Nick sat there for a few seconds contemplating on her question back to him. Did it matter to him if someone else kissed Judy? Yes, yes it did matter to him and he hated every thought of someone else kissing his Judy. “You wouldn’t ahh- you wouldn’t understand. You just wouldn’t understand if I told you and explain it to you.” he exhausted is breath after giving her is response.  
“Then help me understand Nick, were partners.”  
“Just drop it Judy. I don’t want to talk about it right now. Its noon and let’s get to the Outback to look for clues at the next missing mammal that Bogo gave us.” He said in frustration.  
She took a deep breath “alright, but this discussion isn’t over and I’ll take on the new bet on you kissing me because frankly I will prove you wrong.”  
“Good.” Was nicks quick snarky response. Judy started the cruiser and pulled out of the parking lot heading to the freeway to the Outback. They drove in silence the entire way not speaking a single word to each other.


End file.
